London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Haringey 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Haringey]
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Tuberculosis
Prevention of Tuberculosis by B.C.G. Vaccination
B.C.G. vaccination is offered to all school children over the age of 13 years. As the B.C.G. scheme
is operated under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, it is not confined to children attending
maintained schools, but is available to all children of the appropriate age. B.C.G. vaccination is also
available to further education students up to the age of 21.
The following table gives details of the B.C.G. vaccination carried out by the Council during 1965:-
| School Children | Students* | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Parents approached | 2705 | 19 | 2724 | |||
| Parents accepted | 2262 | 83.6 | 19 | 100.0 | 2281 | 83.7 |
| Number skin tested | 2213 | 15 | 2228 | |||
| Number found positive | 199 | 9.0 | 11* | 73.3 | 210 | 9.4 |
| Number found negative | 1880 | 84.9 | 4 | 26.7 | 1884 | 84.6 |
| Number failed to attend for Mantoux reading | 134 | 6.1 | - | - | 134 | 6.0 |
| Number vaccinated (% of those approached) | 1880 | 69.5 | 4 | 21.0 | 1884 | 69.2 |
*Of the 11 students with positive results, 9 were found to have already had B.C.G. vaccination.
Cases of tuberculosis occurring in teachers or pupils
Where a member of the staff or pupil at any school in the Borough is found to be suffering from
tuberculosis, investigations into all school contacts are undertaken, where these are necessary, under
the supervision of the chest physician. A case of tuberculosis is not necessarily always infectious,
but where it is, steps are taken by skin testing and X-rays, to determine whether any contacts are affected.
In two instances during 1965, the chest physician recommended epidemiological investigation at
the school. One case was a teacher, the other a pupil whose case was brought to light during routine
B.C.G. vaccination at the school. In both cases, investigations showed that no other members of the
school had been infected.
Testing of school entrants for susceptibility to tuberculosis
At this age, skin testing by the multiple puncture (Heaf Gun) method is used more for family case
finding than for individual disease in the children. However, because of the changing population and the
very large number of children entering school direct from overseas, screening of school entrants by this
method is under consideration.
Uncleanliness and Verminous Conditions
School nurses visit the schools regularly to carry out hygiene inspections. While verminous heads
are now the exception rather than the rule, vigilant watch is kept to prevent the spread of infection. The
following details are submitted concerning hygiene inspections carried out in 1965:-
Number of individual examinations of pupils in schools by school nurses 61260
Number of individual pupils found to be infested 284
Ringworm of the scalp
There were 15 cases of ringworm of the scalp found sporadically in schools throughout the year.
This is a fungal infection of the scalp, mildly contagious, but serious if undiagnosed and untreated.
The children concerned were excluded from school. The rest of the children in the school were examined
by means of a Wood's fluorescent lamp, and there was no spread from the original cases.
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